Keyboard tape perforator



March 31, 1953 NAXQN 2,633,198

KEYBOARD TAPE F'ERFORATOR Filed June 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORZ IRVING NAXQN A TTORNEYS.

MarchBl, 1953 l. NAXON 2,633,198

KEYBOARD TAPE PERFORATOR Filed June 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. IRVING NAXON ATTORNEYS- 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. IRVING NAXON BY MM ATTORNEYS.

March 31, 1953 I NAXON KEYBOARD TAPE PERFORATOR Flled June 3, 1947 March 31, 1953 l. NAXON KEYBOARD TAPE PERFORATOR 4 Shee ts-Sheet 4 Filed June 3, 1947 INVENTOR IRVING NAXON ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 31, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEYBOARD TAPE PERFORATOR L Irving .Naxon, Chicago;lll. 1.

Application runes, 1947, Serial No. 752,124.

11''Claims.*' (Cl. 164--1-13) My"'inventionirelates to tapes vonwhichletters,

symbols .opothencharacters are recorded, and: more "particularly to means" for imposing the same; and'one'objectis-to provide a machine: which imposes :such letters, symbols Lorcharac ters'in'the form of perforation groups 'repre' sentative of the same.

A further objectis to provide means actuated by theoperation of a standard typewriter keyboard to procure the formation of desired perforation groups in the form of ordinary reading matter, or in code-groups representative of the symbols.

Another object is to employ simple mechanical means, in conjunctionwith an electrical solenoid unit. to perforate 'the'tape; space the characters,

and control thespacing for-characters of differ'ent widths.

An importantobject is to construct thema chine'alonglinesof-compactness and with a sim= ple and efficient arrangement of parts.

With the above objects in view and any others which may suggest themselves from the descriptiontofollow, a better understanding of .the invention may -be had by reference-to the accom-- panying drawings; in which Fig.1 is a schematic perspective view of a' sign showing'the application of the instant machine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine, with a frontal "cover plate broken away;

Fig; Bis a sectionsubstantially onthe line 3- 3 of "Fig. '2;

Fig. 4'is "a detail section on the tline44 of Fig-3;

Fig. '5 i s a fragmental enlargement of a punch assembly'sho'wing in the-right-=hand' upper cor-' ner-of-Fig; 3;

Figi6 is a top planview of the upper portionof the'machine;

Fig". "7 is a perspective view, taken "from the rear of the machine, of a spacing control;

Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 88 of' Fig: 7;

Fig." 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit for the solenoid unit;

7 Fig. 10-is a section similar to Fig. 3 showinga modification and broken away intermediatelyy Fig: 11 is a section on the line I l-I l of 'Fig. 10, partly'broken away; and

Fig. '12 is a detail perspective view of a levershown horizontally in the center of Fig. 11.

Referring specifically to' the drawings, I5 denotes the'base of the machine, the same being a castingxwithi'a marginal skirt I6 and supporting feet: l1. Theiinteriorof the base is mainly'occupied'by a groupj of levers"|.8' leadingior'ward to the keys, I9 of a'standard typewriterkeyboard; and thetlevers2ll of the. conventional spacingbar- 2 l occur below the leversl8;

The base l5.receives;a massive angle bar-22' across the .top for the support of 'an'upstanding frame plate 23. The latter 'is drilled with a circular row of holes 24 'inwhich the forward portions of .a series of horizontal pins 25' are slid ably disposed. The rear ends of the pins abut a backing plate .26 securedby bolts. 21 to studs 21a projecting rearwardly from the frame plate; and reductions 28 of .such rearends "extend freely through the backing plate to receive terminal sockets 29. Fig. 3 shows that the key levers 18 have rear extensions '30 which "rise to points substantially even witirfa horizontal "plane through, the center of the series of holes 24; From here rods 3 [0 are directed from'the extensions 30 into the sockets 29 of the pins 25, these being chosen with a predetermined relation to the letters;

numbers and characters represented by the keys I9. Thus, the depression of any one of these secures the advance of the corresponding pin 25 through the frame plate 23, the socket .29 forming a limit for such advance when it meets the backing plate 26. The staggeringof the pinspermits them to be made of a relatively large ,di-

ameter without being too closely spaced; Figs 3 and 4 show that a comb 3| formed with frontal slots am is designed as a separating guide for the extensions 30, and is supportedat the ends by posts 3 lb.

The pins 25 are'designed to form stops fora selector disc 32 which .is located a short distance in front of the frame plate 23. The disc is reduced to "four spider arms 33 on the inside; and these tionary ratchet wheel 38 by a spring 39 extend-.

ing from thepawl to an adjacent spider arm 33, the ratchet wheel 38'being made fast to the frame plate 23.

Thedrive for the selector. disc.32 originates .1

with an electricmotor 40 carried by a frame 4| whosebase 42 is bolted at 42a on therear.

portion of the machine base l5. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 6, a speed-reducing drive is taken from the motor shaft 43 bymeshing a pinion 44 on the same with a'gear 45carried by a jack shaft 46; and the latter transmits the drive to a gear 4's whose hub 48 is freely rotatable on the axial tube 35. The rear end portion of the latter is jo-urnaled in a bushing is carried by the frame M; and the tube receives the hub 55 of a disc in opposed relation to the gear 47, such hub being made fast by a set-screw 52. The disc 5| carries a yieldable facing 53 in frictional engagement with the gear M. Fig. 3 shows that the gear is urged against the facing 53 by a spring 54 backed by a block 55 made fast on the tube 35 by a set-screw 56. Thus, the motor drive is transmitted to the center tube 36 by way of a yieldable clutch, and may continue or Slip without damage to the tube in case the latter meets some resistance or impediment during its rota tion.

The selector disc 32 is designed to be in constant rotation until a key is is depressed, when the resulting projection of the corresponding pin 25 presents an impediment to a block or yieldable stop 57 forming the outer end of an arm '58 pivoted at 59 to one of the spider arms 33. It is noted that the receiving face of the block has a pair of depressions 86 abreast to meet either row of the staggered pins 25. The block recedes a short distance in this event, and backs against the advancing edge of the related spider arm 33 as a stop, the arm of the block drawing on a spring 6| extended from an adjoining spider arm in this event.

The action of the affected pin 25 in respect to the receding block 5'! precedes the positive stopping of the selector disc 32 when the same advances through the leeway afforded by the recession of the block 51. This indicates that the disc has a predetermined stopping point for each key [9, such factor being utilized to locate a corresponding character index in registration with a die, with which a punch is operative on the tape to perforate the same with the character index.

The action just mentioned is initiated by the closing of a switch in a solenoid circuit. The switch is composed of a pair of spring blades 62 and 93 which are carried at one of their ends by an insulation block 64 and are normally spaced at their other ends. The block has a base 65 attached by screws 58 to a spider arm 33; and the blade 62 is in the path of an insulation button 6! carried by the pivoted arm. The recession of the block 57 therefore serves to close the switch. Figs. 3 and 6 show that the solenoid 68 energized by the closing of the switch is carried by a base 69, which is secured in spaced relation to the frame plate 23 by bolts 18. The armature of the solenoid is indicated at H, the same carrying a plunger 72 whose advance is resisted by a compression spring 13 carried by the plunger between the base 59 and the armature H Since the solenoid switch is carried by the rotary disc 32, an adaptable current connection must be provided. The tube 35 furnishes a central path for the wires (not shown) leading to the switch, but the origin of these is in the form of a plate secured by screws :75 to the frame 41. Screws Tl permit wires from a suitable current supply source to be attached to the plate 75; and the latter carries a pair of spring brushes 78 in contact with concentric rings 79 mounted on the face of a disc 85. The latter is formed with a hub which is fast on the rear end portion of the tube 36; and the rings 79 carry binding posts 8| from which the wires for the solenoid switch may be led by way of side openings 82 into the tube. The connection of the switch Wires is thus maintained while the tube is in rotation. Incidentally, the tube is designed to receive a short forward thrust at times, and it is noted that the bushing 49 extends a short distance to the rear from its support 42 in order to allow the necessary forward movement.

The selector disc 32 is representative of the letters of the alphabet, and the outer portion of the disc is formed with perforation groups 85 symbolical of each letter. Each group is based on the scheme that a letter of full width requires seven perforations in height and five in width, the horizontal and vertical rows of which fall into registration with corresponding holes in the various groups 85, each group of which comprises a predetermined character. Fig. 1 shows a per foration-word made up of full-width letters. It follows, therefore, that letters of less than full width-or characters of less than full height-use only a portion of the perforations in the group. Thus, the letter I would only employ a single column of perforations. Recalling that the selector disc is geared for continuous rotation, and that the disc can be stopped at any desired point by the pressing of the proper key I9, the stopping point is designed to locate the correspondin perforation group 85 at the top of the disc 32. Here the frame plate 23 is formed with an overhanging casting 86 in which a box or die-block 8'! is fitted, screws 88 serving to attach the box from the rear.

The rear wall 89 of the box 81 serves as a bearing for a group of pin-punches 90. The punches have slight rearward reductions 92 passing through a backing plate 9|, as shown in Fig. 5. The punches are also slightly shouldered within the box to receive a stripper-plate 93; and they terminate in an inner punch-guide 94. An outer companion female guide 95 is spaced from the inner one by a pair of parallel spacing shims 95; and screws 91 secure the dies to the block.

Disposed as described, the punches may be given a short forward movement, causing them to advance through the space between the dies 94 and 95 into the latter die. The spacing of the dies is such as to permit the passage of a paper tape I00 through the said space, the advance of the punches serving to perforate the tape. Since it is intended to punch the tape with perforations forming a desired letter or character, the selector disc 32, with the corresponding perforation-group stopped in topmost position as mentioned, is employed as a pattern for indexing the characters. The short forward movement of the selector disc 32-previously referred to-is designed to push the punches forward, and it will be apparent that only the punches for the desired letter or character will be affected by the advance of the disc, the balance of the punches finding clearance in the disc perforations with their reduced rear ends 92. Obviously, when the spacing bar 2| is struck, no perforations are to be made in the tape. Fig. 3 shows that the levers 20 of this bar are adapted to pull down on a link 2la and rock an angle lever Zlb to project a pin 2|c through the frame plate 23 into the path of the stop block 57. It is understood that the correspondin stop of the selector disc 32 will present to the punch group a character area full of openings, so that the punch group is not actuated by the advance of the selector disc.

It will be recalled that the stopping of the character-carrying element, or selector disc 32 at any point in its rotation served to close the solenoid switch52-63. As noted in Fig. 3, the

5 solenoid+activatedz= rod: 12 .:is meducedsrat its for-e ward end with a round-tippedwpinxlili on which is .tightly mounted a :hammer "106.?" 'Ihu's;v the latter imparts the. aforesaid L forward :movement to *the selector discr while; -the; pin. -I 05::insures accurate registry-of the iperrorationegroup :with the punches. by- -passing through aniopening .-I 01 in the disc and into a hole 'I-OB'Ain thepbackingplate 9!. I Fig. -2 shows that an. opening; I01- is provided for each perforation-group: The-bullet shaped end I05,"in'passingithrough a givenxhole I01 .and into. the .hole I08 in thedie-blockleads the hammer I06 by a short: distance so that anyzslight rotational error ;is not onlycorrected beforethe hammerzpressesthedisc against the backsof the punches, but .alsozassures that the disc .is positively locked:againstxrotatiorial rnovementduring the perforation-cycle; Moreover, I prefer 130761158013 this correetionby relatinga given index .hole I 01 withrespect to its elemental characterearea in .suchia manner :that..;the': entry of the correction .finger I05 causes .a slight.zback ward rotation of the disc..: *Thisloackward 'mova-f ment,.however,;is not sufficient to .open the icon-1 tact points, since the. springs. supporting the latter are designed to effect a wiping: action raccompanied'by a considerable follow of the points, the final openingsoflthe contacts-being effected instantly upon. the 'manual release i of a finger key, which in .turn pwithdraws thepin .25 rearwardly .and .out of registration withthe stop 5'! andimmediately permitsytconcurrently with resumption of rotation of-thc disc,nthe spring 39 to open the contacts",

A spring-backed pin. I .0 9a,..slidable. in the-plates 23 :and26 is effective against adisc I secured by a set screw I000 onthe. tube :36,'to back the selector disc 32.away from'zthe punch group; and the retraction of the latter is insured by a pair of stripper-springs .I I0 whichare tied with their forward ends to the stripper plate '93 and with their rear ends to the backing plate SI, as seen in Fig. 6. It will also be observed that the momentary stoppage of the center tube 36 is not prejudicial to its drive from the geared clisc41, since the latter-will simply slip along the yieldable disc. 53 during .such' stoppage, resuming the driving of thetubular shaft the moment the. selector disc is freed of the punches and registry pm.

Thetape I00 extends forwardly froma spool I90 at therear of the machine, takes an inward turn past a hanger III, and enters a frontal channel guide II2. It then passes between the die-plates 9495 as previously described, and cone tinues in a second channel guide I I3. A mechanism is providedto feed the tape in the direction indicated by the arrowin thebottomright-hand portion of Fig. 6, the feedtaking a stroke after each perforating operation. The vmechanism originates with a transversely positioned'arm I I" having one end pivoted as indicated at IIG to a bracket 'I I1. At .a point .over the rod I2 the arm receives an angle plate II8 from below, screws II9 securing the same to the arm. .The skirt of the angle plate is directly behind a pin I extending rearwardly from the hammer I06. A draw-spring I23 extends between the angle plate and a screw I.22,.so that-the arm I I5 swings forward yieldably on .the advance of the hammer;

through the medium ofspring. I23. The rear.- most positionof the arm II5 is controlled by nuts I23a which are adjustable on a screw I23b projecting rearwardly from the frame plate 23..

A link I24 is pivoted with one end asindicated.

; time the. punches Lrecede.

atIZtto :thezfree end portiompf st-hevaarm ,1 I5,- extending forwardly to pivot at I26 withrone'end of :an' angle lever I211. The? latter sis :medially centered for rotation v:on .a post "I28 whichris fixedly. supported vertically .from .the horizontal part :or an .L.-bracket I3 I 1 carried by the frame plate 23,. a ratchet :wheel 129 also being'rotatably mountedon the post I28..: The other end of the angle lever I21 carries "a pawl I30- drawn to :the ratchet wheel by a spring I.3I.- Thus; when the arm IISswingsforwardly duringa perforation cycle the. pawl slips the ratchet. teeth, but operates the ratchet :wheel onthe return stroke. A suit able .detent. I3Ia, .adjustably pivoted at I3Ib .is drawn by a spring I3 Ic for engagement" withithe periphery of the ratchet-wheel; and the tension of the spring is made variable by a bracket I3Id adjustable by means of a screw I3Ie along the frontal L-bracket. I3If. The ratchet wheel is carried .by a sprocketwheel I32, whose'frontal' teethpass through an opening-133m the channel guide ;I I3 and meshwith a medial series-I340)? perforations made in the tape, so that the latter is red the width of a perforation group 05 :each' In the preseht form this group comprises the equivalent of 1flve'zver-e tical rows of holes (consequently .five feed-holes) plus anaadditional feed hole, :or 'a total *of six feed :holes the sixthifeed .hole serving to space the letters apart. :A press bar I'35iholds the tape in'mesh, being carried" by rods I36extendin'g fromia pin I31 pivoted in the 'wingsof the channel guide H3. The pin is urged by a torsion spring I38'to apply the pressbar;

7 While the feed just described-moves the tape I 00 the width of a regular perforation group .(plusone feed-hole), a shorterxfeedstroke is necessary where a narrow group occurs, such asfor the letter I, a semi-colon, or 'a different character of the same width. A mechanism to induce a corresponding feed stroke is illustrated in Figs. 3, 6 and 7'. Thus,th'e typebars representing'the narrow perforation groups are indicated at I40, and a series of lugs I4I rising from a comb I42 Lare in the depression path of the said type bars. The other end of the plate I42 is wrapped around and'madefast toa crossrod I43 journaled in:the sides of the base- I6 as indicated at-I44. The rod I43 is extended r'earwardly with a short arm'-I45,'to the outerend of which is linked-an upwardly-extending link I46; The upperend of the latter is linked to -one end or a lever I41 which. is medially pivoted at- I48 to "the back of the frame plate 23. The other end of the lever I 41 carries a rearwardly extending lug I49,'which terminates with a lip 1-50: The lug i 49is infron't of a wing I5I forming the freeend of the pivoted armI I5; vA spring :I52 from a fixed point draws downwardly on'the outer end of the lever-M1 andthus. keeps the lug I49 at a height suitable for clearance ':by the wing .I5I when the latter assumes the idle stroke after each'tape'feed. I-Io'wever, when anyone of the type bars I40 is depressed, the. cross-rod M3'is caused to turn with the effect of swinging the lever I l! in a counter clockwisedirection as seen in Fig. 7. This action lowers the (lug I49;i-andthe wing -I5I therefore advances overthe lip I 50 and meets therear end of thelugon' the stroke referred to.- Now-thelink I24 cannot follow thefull forward stroke of .the hammer I06 and therefore causesthe pawl I302 to 'slip less teeth of the ratchet I295 Therefore, on the return. 'of the link I24- the ratchet turns .a lesser-distance, and the-neirt feeding stroke of the tape is correspondingly shortened.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show a modification of my invention. To reduce weight, the selector disc 32 is now made lighter and supplemented by a cluster of flexible segments I60 secured to the disc by screws I6I. Behind the disc is a lever I62 having one end pivoted to the disc as shown at I63 while the other end is formed with concavities I64 corresponding to the depressions 60 made in the block 51 forming part of the main control, such concavities lending the lever I62 the same function in respect to the pins 25 as that of the block. However, the backing action of the lever I62 is transmitted outwardly to one wing I65 of an angle lever I66 pivoted at I61 in a frontal frame I68 carried by the disc 32. The other wing of the angle lever then swings rearwardly against a rod I69 slidable in the center tube 36. The solenoid switch 62-63 is now extended from a bracket I10 carried on the rear side of the motor frame 42. The rear end of the rod I69 carries an insulation tip I II in touch with the switch arm 62, and it is apparent that the backing action of the rod will close the switch.

In the modification, the forward action of the hammer I06 against the character-carrying segments I60 flexes the latter slightly forward, thereby obviating the necessity of shifting the entire wheel forward as is necessary with the wheel shown in Fig. 2, heretofore described. Moreover, since the motion necessary to close the pair of contacts 6263 is now transmitted mechanically through the action of the bell crank lever I65-I66, the modification makes it possible to keep the said contacts off the wheel, therefore obviating the necessity of the brushes and slip rings I8 and 19, shown in Fig. 9, for use in connection with the solid character-carrying wheel.

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the applicability of the perforator for electric sign operation. Thus, the sign is indicated at I80. The perforated tape I issuing from the perforator I8I is first led through a stop mechanism I82, and then through a transmitter I03. The current from the transmitter is relayed through a. cable I84 to a sign controller I85, and a final cable I86 extended from the latter to the sign.

The technique employed here is fully illustrated in the Nachumsohn Patent #2,006,999.

It will now be evident that the novel perforator will permit an ordinary typist, operating a standard keyboard in the same manner and as rapidly as in ordinary typewritting, to produce a perforated ribbon-like message of uncoded or ordinary reading matter. This is in contrast to the production of coded messages used in present day printing telegraphy. While standard keyboard manipulation is employed in printing telegraphy, it is necessary for the operator to know the particular code employed before the perforated tape issuing from the machine can be directly read or checked. Consequently, in the adaptation of this invention to traveling message signs or other ultimate purposes or systems, the tape forms a record which can be checked directly before transmission by persons who are unable to read special codes. Thus, in traveling message signs where the keyboard-perforator might be desirably located in a newspaper editorial room, the message flashed on a large outdoor sign may be proofread in plain English as 8 or even before transmitting, to preclude errors or to edit the message.

While ordinary printing telegraph keyboard perforators accomplish the object of perforating character elements in a single row or in relatively confined portions of the tape, it will be evident from the above description that the present invention provides a die block arrangement having an extensive group or field of punches embracing practically the entire character-area of the tape. This feature not only makes it possible to produce letters and figuresthough nevertheles made up of perforations conforming to any chosen alphabet or design but also, to a considerable extent, trade-marks, symbols, figures or other predetermined designs. This is highly desirable where my keyboard perforator is used in the transmission of messages in traveling message sign systems such as, for example, the one shown in the Nachumsohn Patent No. 2,006,999. In this respect the individual character area corresponding to the cluster of holes or punches in the die block represents a mosaic within which individual punches may be selected to form predetermined characters or designs.

It is to be noted that because my present invention combines all the letters and figures in a single character-wheel, it is possible through interchange of this single item to introduce different-shaped letters or characters without regard to or the disturbing of the individual keys or key-lever elements.

While I have described the invention along specific lines, various modifications other than the ones treated above may be made in the invention without departing from its principles as covered in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In a keyboard-operated perforator, a punchunit operable by pressure to perforate a tape, a hammer behind the punch unit, a rotatable disc between the hammer and the punch unit and adapted to be advanced to operate selected punches in the punch unit representing struck characters on the keyboard, a tubular shaft carrying the disc, an electrical hammer control carried :by the disc at one end of the shaft, wiring for said control passing through the shaft to its other end, a rotary commutator carried by said other end and connecting with said wiring, a current feed, and brushes from the latter applied to said commutator.

2. The structure of claim 1, bearing means for the shaft, a power drive, a clutch freely mounted on the shaft and receiving motion from said drive, a yieldable element fixed on the shaft, and means carried by the shaft and urging the clutch in engagement with said element, said drive allowing for the longitudinal motion of the shaft on the advance of the disc.

3. A keyboard-operated perforator comprising a tape, means along the latter for periodically punching perforation units in the tape representing in similar form letters and characters struck on the keyboard, said units comprising single or laterally multiplied perforation columns corresponding to the range of said letters or characters between minimum and maximum widths, means for feeding the tape step by step for the spacing of perforation units according to maximum width during the intervals between the perforation punching operations, and other means to reduce the feed according to letters or characters of less than the maximum width, said other meansbomprising a member pivoted hori- Zontally at one endandextendedat the other end with upward lugs in the depressin'gpath of thekeys relating to letters or characters of less than the maximum width, an arm included in the feeding means and taking agiven 'stroke when the feed is for letters or characters ofthe the member and thelink to swing the rocker element with said abutment into'thepath of said arm; whereby to curtail the stroke thereof-and shorten the feed accordingly.

4, The combination with a typewriter keyboard of a-die blockcontaining a group of punches arranged in blockv formation with punches selective to form any letter or'character on the keyboard} a tape passed through. the die block in the operative path of the punches, a hammer situated behind theapunches, a. selector disc between the hammer and the punches and formed with groups of perforations consecutively registrable withsaid punches on the lateral movement of the disc, eachperforation group representing a keyboard letter or character and registering when opposite the punch group with punches-not pertaining to such letter or' character, means operative'on: the-striking of any key to bring the corresponding perforation group opposite the punch group, and other means eifective in such event to advance the hammer against the selector disc and cause the latter to operate such punches as pertain to said letter or character while the corresponding perforation group affords clearance for the'remaining punches, the selector disc being rotatable and its perforation groups arranged in a circularly-spaced series, and said first means comprising a circular series of pins relating to the keyboard letters or characters, means to advance the pins when the corresponding letter or character keys are operated, an abutment carried by the selector disc in the path of any advanced pin, the position of the latter being such as to cause the disc to stop with the perforation group pertaining to the chosen letter or character opposite the punch group, said abutment being yieldable to an initial extent, a switch terminal carried by the abutment, a companion switch terminal carried by the selector disc and adapted to be contacted by the first switch terminal on the yielding of the abutment to close the switch, an electric circuit controlled by the switch, and a solenoid in said circuit and operative to advance said hammer on the closing of the switch.

5. A keyboard-operated perforator comprising a tape, a die block containing punches and means effective upon the manipulation of the individual keys of said keyboard for selecting predetermined punches corresponding to the keyboard characters, said means comprising a rotating character-defining disc having an index member rotating therewith and yieldably movable relative thereto, said disc normally rotatable in a plane immediately to the rear of said punches, a motor for rotating said disc through the medium of a clutch, an annular series of stop members each operable by a corresponding key and adapted to be moved thereby into the path of said index member to interrupt the rotation of said disc while permitting the motor to continue 10' rotation'through' the medium of said clutch, a perforating hammer located to the. rear of-said' disc and-in line with said punches, and means effective in response to said yieldable relative motion between the index member and the disc to move the hammer into engagement with said disc to shift the latter into a forwardpla'ne thereby engaging said punches to perforate the tape with the character selected, a tape-feed mechanism, an arm yielda-bly movable in one direction to store energy into a spring upon movement of the hammer into engagement with the disc and to permit said spring to operate said tape feed" mechanism upon movement of said hammer out'of engagement with said disc.

6. A keyboard-operated perforator comprising a tape, a die block therefor containing punches,

and means effective upon the manipulation of' the individual keys of said keyboard and in selective registration with said punches for selecting predetermined groups of punches representing keyboard characters to perforate said tape accordingly, said means comprising a rotary spider bounded by an annular ring, the latter having groups of punch-selecting holes arranged in char acter formation, and the operation of any key effective to stop said spider and bring anygroup of said holes into registration with said punches,'

said ring having a pilot hole in radialregistration with each of said groups of punch-selecting holes, a circular series of pins relating to said keys, means to advance any one of the pins when f the corresponding one of said keys is operated, and an abutment carried by one of the spider :arms in the path of any advanced pin, the position of the latter being such as to cause the spider to stop with the group of said punchselecting holes pertaining to the chosen key'opposite the group of punches, the advanced pin seating in the corresponding pilot hole to lock the ring in a position to hold such group of punch-selecting holes in registration with the group of punches.

7. A keyboard-operated perforator comprising a tape, means along the latter for periodically punching perforation units in the tape representing in similar form letters and characters struck on the keyboard, said units comprising single or laterally multiplied perforation columnscorresponding to the range of said letters or characters between minimum and maximum widths, means for feeding the tape step by step for the spacing of perforation units according to maximum width during the intervals between the perforation punching operations, and other means to reduce the feed according to letters or characters of less than the maximum width, said maximum feeding means normally tending to feed the tape to maximum width, and said other means comprising a member effective to block the full motion of said maximum feeding means when a character of less than maximum width is struck.

8. The structure of claim 7, and a universal bar associated with the keyboard and operable only with the narrower characters thereof to actuate said member.

9. In a keyboard tape perforator a horizontal base supporting a set of character-defining keys, front and rear upstanding plates carried by said base, an annular series of stop plungers operable by said keys and movable forwardly of the frontal plate, a die block containing punches and supported forwardly of the frontal plate, a character-defining disc rotatably supported between the frontal plate and the die block, such disc 11 having character-defining elements adapted to directly engage the punches in the die block, and means disposed behind the frontal plate and effective upon the stopping of the disc by actuating of said stop plungers to cause the disc to advance forwardly and operate said punches.

10. The combination with a typewriter-like keyboard and a message tape, said keyboard including a plurality of separate character bearing keys; of means efiective upon the successive manipulation of said keys for perforating directly readable alphabet letters and numerals successively in said tape, said means comprising a die block receiving said tape and common to all characters in said keyboard, a set of punches for said die block arranged in a plurality of rows, a continuously rotatable drive medium, a shaft operated by the same with allowance for the shaft to be stopped and shifted axially, a characterdefining rigid disc fixedly centered on the shaft, said disc having separate sets of character-formingpunch-actuating means arranged in a circular series about the center of the disc, each set corresponding to the character on one of said keys, means effective upon the operation of any key to stop the rotation of the shaft and disc in such position relative to said die block as to dispose the character-forming punch-actuating means corresponding to the character on said operated key opposite appropriate ones of said punches for the formation of said character, and means movable axially of the shaft to engage the disc with said punches following the stopping of the rotation of said disc as stated, said engagement causing the disc and its shaft to shift bodily as stated and act as a unit to operate the punches.

11. The combination with a typewriter-like keyboard, the latter including a plurality of separate character bearing keys, and a message tape; of means effective upon the successive manipulation of said keys for perforating directly readable alphabet letters and numerals successively in said tape, said means comprising a die block receiving said tape and common to all characters in said keyboard, a set of punches for said die block arranged in a plurality of rows, bearing means, a rotary unitary character-defining member journaled in said bearing means, means effective upon the operation of any key to angularly position a selected portion of said rotary member opposite appropriate ones of said punches for the formation of a character corresponding to the character on said key and other means causing the member to move axially in said bearing means and operate said punches upon the striking of any key in predetermined character-formation corresponding to the key struck, whereby to cause the selected punches to perforate the tape accordingly.

IRVING NAXON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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